It is well known in the art that vehicles, such as trucks and station wagons, frequently have a tailgate pivotally mounted between body side panels at the rear of the vehicle. The tailgate typically pivots about a hinge axis between horizontally open and vertically closed positions. The hinge axis typically comprises one or more rods or pins about which the tailgate pivots. For instance, in a pickup truck, a tailgate in the closed or up position serves as the rear wall of the cargo bed of the truck. In the open or down position, the tailgate is out of the way to enable loading and unloading of the cargo bed.
Tailgates for pickup trucks typically range in weight from about 40 pounds to about 70 pounds. Accordingly, the weight of the tailgate precludes one-handed operation for any but the strongest individuals. People of normal or slight build must use their second hand, a shoulder, or a knee to support the tailgate in an effort to keep it from dropping too quickly. The weight of the tailgate can cause an individual to lose control of the tailgate while opening, allowing the tailgate to open rapidly and possibly injure the operator or others standing nearby. Similarly, the existing tailgates can be very difficult to close due to the weight of the tailgate.
The prior art teaches various mechanisms that attempt to counterbalance the weight of a tailgate to make it easier to operate. However, these prior art mechanisms contain numerous parts making them more susceptible to breakdown and making them more expensive to manufacture, repair, and replace.